Abstract
The objective of this work is to explore the various anti-corruption initiatives implemented in Nigeria after the establishment of a legitimate democratic government. Given the practices of various military regimes in previous decades, anti-corruption measures were needed. Those measures materialized due to increased international scrutiny and mounting domestic pressure to adjust institutional practices and civic life. Nigeria's chronic problems related to health and public safety have made them dependent on international aid and, as a result, increased the oversight that international actors place on their governmental practices. Consequently, the country engaged in the development of a new paradigm of governance system to help combat corruption and increase accountability both internally and to the exterior. Some of the changes included the creation of specific agencies that targeted money laundering operations, fraud, financing of terrorism, and other economic and financial crimes. The implementation of such initiatives began with the formation of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) in 2000, and continued with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2004, as well as the creation of other national and international mechanisms to curb corruption. The results, however, have been mixed.
Current research questions the effectiveness of these agencies and whether or not they have been able to comply with their mandates in an ethical manner. Questions also exist regarding international interference in the effective implementation of their core activities. Using a comparative case study approach, this paper aims to explore the following questions: What are the effects of the diverse anti-corruption initiatives in Nigeria? What is the scope of their attributions and how do they align with the rule of law? Have these initiatives contributed to increased transparency and accountability of governance systems? If so, how? Currently, public perception of these agencies points out to systemic corruption and continuation of past practices, as well as the use of institutions for personal gain and as political tools.
This research is relevant because it adds an additional dimension to the analysis of government initiatives to battle corruption. Usually, most research centers around institutional effectiveness in developed countries as information availability and institutional maturity allows for a thorough analysis, whereas developing countries do not have the same characteristics present to allow for such introspection. The authors of this paper aim to contribute to the overall literature on ethics and corruption. Moreover, given Nigeria's position in the continent, the effects are felt throughout and are not isolated only to the Nigerian jurisdiction. As other countries in the region look at Nigeria's efforts as a way to create or develop their own initiatives, it is imperative that we increase our understanding of the challenges and opportunities that examining this governance system presents in order to learn more about effective anti-corruption practices that could have a regional or international impact.